Sunday, October 20, 2013

Hasidut to the extreme - Sayings of Rabbi Uri ('ha-Saraf') mi-Strelisk אמרי קדוש published in Szekelyhid c1940

Some time before the war (no date appears in the book), a Sefer titled Imre Kadosh was published in Szekelyhid, Romania, one of the very few Hebrew titles published there. This edition does not appear in Bet Eked Sefarim. It contains sayings heard from the Saraf, Uri ben Pinḥas of Strelisk (1757–1826), one of the earliest Hasidic Rebbes, a talmid of Reb Shlomo of Karlin. It is a brief book, a total of 20 pages in length.

Within, is a treasure trove of brief sayings, many of the nature that caused the Mitnagdim to become suspicious of the movement.
Here are a few examples.




טוב יותר לאדם שיפיל עצמו לכבשן בוער באש מלהיות רבי וצדיק מפורסם
"It is better to throw yourself in to a burning fire than become a famous Rebbe or Tzadik"

שיש ליסע לצדיק אמת אפילו אלפיים פרסאות ולבטל בהליכתו ובחזירתו תורה ותפלה והכל רק כדי דבור אחד של אמת אשר אשמע מפי צדיק אמת

"You are obligated to travel to a true Tzadik even 2000 Parsaot, and suspend throughout the way there and back learning Torah and Prayer, all so he can hear just one word of truth from a true Tzadik:"

הזהיר להיות על שולחנו אורח בכל סעודתו אז אפילו אוכל כל שובעו כגוי גמור מ"מ נחשב כאילו כיוון כל כוונת האריז"ל ובתנאי שלא יאכל עם אשתו ובנותיו על שולחנו

"One who is careful to always have a guest present at his meals, even if he eats to his full appetite, like a total gentile, even so, it is considered as if he meditated all the Kavanot of the Arizal, all on the condition, that his wife and children do not eat together with him on his table"

Interestingly, this book was republished in 1961, with additions titled אמרי קדוש השלם. The above quotes have mysteriously disappeared from the later edition.
Here is a photo of the title of the 1961 edition.
1961 Edition of אמרי קדוש השלם

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting and astute observation!

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